In the two years since we started our How I wrote… live music sessions, we've looked at the Mercury prize shortlist and thought: "Hey, quite a few of these people have come in and played songs for us." A combination of foresight, careful planning and good luck meant that this year eight of the nominees had visited the Guardian studios to perform live. We're quite proud of that.

So you don't have to delve into the archive (though it would be great if you want to – everyone from Ray Davies to Hercules & Love Affair are there) we've pulled them together in one place. Enjoy, and let us know what you think.